Trump admin. sues pro-Palestine groups under rarely used abortion law

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
Today 06:47

The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against pro-Palestinian groups in New Jersey under the FACE Act, marking the first use of the law to target alleged interference with religious worship.

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Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon speaks during a news conference on charges related to the shooting of Israeli Embassy staff during a news conference at the Attorney General's office for the District of Columbia in Washington, August 7, 2025. (AP)

The United States Justice Department has filed a civil lawsuit against two pro-Palestine organizations and demonstrators it accuses of intimidating Jewish worshipers at a synagogue in West Orange, New Jersey.

The case stems from a November protest outside an event billed as both a spiritual service and an Israeli real estate fair. The complaint claims that demonstrators assaulted some attendees while using chants and vuvuzelas — loud plastic trumpets popular among football fans — to disrupt the gathering.

The lawsuit was brought under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), a 1994 law designed to prevent the use of force or obstruction against people accessing reproductive health facilities or houses of worship. While the Justice Department has previously invoked the law against anti-abortion activists, this marks the first time it has been applied to alleged interference with religious services.

Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said, “The practice of turning a blind eye to these attacks on houses of worship throughout the United States stops now.”

The suit names the Party for Socialism and Liberation in New Jersey and Muslims for Palestine New Jersey as defendants. It seeks a court order prohibiting the use of force or obstruction to interfere with worshippers at any house of worship in the state.

Trump’s broader crackdown on protests

The lawsuit is part of a wider effort by the Trump administration to curb US demonstrations against the Israeli war on Gaza. Washington has already moved to cut funding for universities hosting pro-Palestinian activism and sought to deport some demonstrators, citing alleged antisemitism.

At the same time, the Justice Department under Trump has scaled back use of the FACE Act in abortion-related cases, arguing that previous prosecutions reflected a politicized misuse of law enforcement. Notably, Trump pardoned several individuals convicted under the law in January.

Background: protests and rising tensions

Since "Israel’s" aggression on Gaza was launched in October 2023, the US has witnessed a surge in pro-Palestine demonstrations, particularly on university campuses and outside Israeli-linked institutions. Trump’s measures represent an attempt to silence dissent and criminalize solidarity with Palestinians.

The Justice Department’s case in New Jersey marks the first major legal test of this policy shift, signaling that pro-Palestine groups could face escalating legal consequences for protests in the months ahead.